Apparatus for distilling hydrocarbon oils



Dec. 23, 1930.

c. c. MILLER APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING HYDROCARBON OILS Filed June 15,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 23, 1930. c. c. MILLER APPARATUS FORDISTILLING HYDROCARBON OILS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 Filed June 15, 1927 I @NQN I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I I I n I MZZez" Patented Dec. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE CLARKE G.MILLER, OF WHITING, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB. T0 STANDARD .OIL COMPANY, OF

WHITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA APPARATUS FOR DISTILLINGHYDROCARBON OILS Application filed June 15,

. umn;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the modified form of valve shown in Fig.3; and

Fig. 5 shows a modification of the expansion-drum shown in Fig. 1.Referring to the drawings, 10 is a plpestill adapted to be heated bysuitable means,- for example, the burner 11; 12 is an expansion-drum;and 13 is a fractionating column.

The fractionating column 13 is preferablysuperimposed upon theexpansion-drum 12 so that the vapors therefrom pass directly into thefractionating column.

Oil is adapted to be supplied to the pipestill 10 under pressure bypumps (not shown). The outlet of the pipe-still leads to a reducingvalve 14 which opens into the expansiondrum 12. The expansion-drum isprovided near its bottom with a suitable draw-off pipe 15.

The valve 14 comprises a tubular member 16 which is adapted to receiveoil directly from the pipe-still 10. This tubular member is providedinternally with a conical valve-seat 17 which is adapted to cooperatewith a conical valve 18 carried by a threaded stem 19 which passesthrough a suitable packing nut 20 and is provided with an exteriorhand-wheel 21. Beyond the seat portion, the

valve 18 is provided with a conical part 22 which serves to maintainflow-line conditions and prevent eddies in the oil passing through thevalve. Beyond thevalve-seat'17, the tn bular member 16 is provided withan outwardly flaring portion 23 which terminates .in an open end 24. Theflaring portion 23 is provided at approximately its throat with aplurality of lateral openings 25 which are 'tained therein.

1927. Serial No. 198,925.

preferably sloped slightly in the direction of the moving oil passingthrough the valve.- As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the openings 25 may belocated beneath the surface 26 of the body of oil maintained in theexpansion-drum 12.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the valve is located above the level 26 ofthe oil in the drum 12. In this modification, tubular member 16 isprovided with a housing 27 which completely encloses the openings 25. Apipe 28 extends from thehousing 27 downwardly into the body of oilmaintained in the drum 12. As shown' in Figs. 1 and 3, the open end 24may be directed into an elbow-pipe 29 which extends downwardly towardsthe bot-.

tom of the drum 12 and terminates slightly thereabove so that thematerial issuing from the open end 24 is carried downwardly into theliquid in drum 12.

The operation is as follows:

Hydrocarbon oil to be cracked, which may suitably be a distillate blend,is fed by pumps to the'pipe-still 10 and the valve 14 is adjusted sothatthe desired pressure is main- The pressure in the pipestill maysuitably be maintained at from 200 'to 1200 pounds per square inch, andthe temperature attained therein may suitably be between 850 to 950 F.The flash-drum 12 may be maintained at atmospheric pressure, or atsuper-atmospheric pressure, for example, .a pressure between atmosphericand 600- .pounds per square inch, but in all cases substantially lowerthan the pressure in the pipestill. The temperature in the flash-drum 12will depend upon the reduction of pressure which occurs as the oilenters. For example, the temperature may be between 400 F. and 850 F. Inall cases, only a part of the incoming cracked oil will vaporize and abody of tar accumulates in the flash-drdm L2. This tar may be withdrawnintermittently or continuously by the pipe 15, but a body of tar ismaintained in the drum 12, the liquid level being shown at 26. Whenusing the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, in'which the valve islocated below the level 26 of the body of oil in the drum 12, the oilpasses'the valve-seat 17 and passes through the flared portion 23. Thesuction thereof draws in tar through the openings 25 and accordingly theincoming oil vapors are intimately mixed with tar before issuing fromthe open end 24. When an elbow 29 is employed as shown in Fig. 1, thevapors, oil and tar issuing from the open end 24, together with tar fromthe body maintained in the drum 12, pass downwardly to the bottom of thedrum, thus insuring very intimate contact and admixture of the vaporsand liquid and the production of satisfactory equilibrium therebetween.

The operation of the modification shown in Figs. 3 and a is similar. Inthis case, however, the suction of the incoming oil and vapors passingthrough the flared portion 23 creates a reduced pressure in the housing27, which draws tar upwardly through the pipe 28 into the chamber 27from which it passes through the openings 25 into the incoming oil andvapors. In this modification, also, the elbow 29 causes the mixture ofvapors, oil and tar to pass downwardly into the body of tar maintainedin the chamber 12.

It is not imperative to employ an elbow 29 since satisfactory admixtureand equilibrium may be attained by directly injecting the mixed vapors,oil and tar from the flaring part 23 directly into the body of oilmaintained in the flash-drum 12, as illustrated in Fig. 5. I

Although the present invention has been described in connection with thedetails of certain specific embodiments thereof, it is not intended thatsuch details shall be regarded as limitations u on the scope of theinvention, except in so ar as included in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a flash-drum for flashing heated hydrocarbon oils, avalveadapted to inject heated oil thereinto, said valve comprising atubular portion provided with a seat and a flaring open-ended portiontherebeyond, and a valve-member adapted to cooperate with said seat forthe purpose of regulating the flow of oil through the valve, saidflaring portion being provided with openings adapted to receive oilmaintained in said flash-drum, and an elbow adapted to receive the oildischarged from said flaring portion and conduct it downwardly to thebottom of the flash drum.

2. In combination, a flash-drum for flashing heated hydrocarbon oils, avalve adapted a to inject heated oil thereinto, said valve comprising atubular portion provided with a seat and a flaring open-ended portiontherebeyond, and a valve-member adapted to cooperate with said seat forthe purpose of regulating the flow of oil through thevalve, said flaringportion being provided .with

openings, a housing around said tubular member enclosing said openings,.a conduit depending from said housing downwardly into the flash drum,and an elbow adapted to receive fluid from the open-ended flaringportion and conduct it downwardly into the flash-drum.

3. In combination, a still adapted to heat 7 hydrocarbon oil underpressure, a flashdrum adapted to contain a body of oil therein, and avalve connected tosaid still and communicating with said drum wherebyoil from said still is discharged into said drum under a reducedpressure, said valve comprising a tubular portion provided with a seatanda flaring open-ended portion therebeyond, said flaring portionextending into the interior of said drum, and a valve-member adapted toco-operate with said seat for the purpose of regulating the flow ofliquid through the valve, the portion of said flaring portion whichextends into' said drum being provided with a lateral opening'adapted toreceive the oil maintained in said drum.

4. In combination, a still adapted to heat hydrocarbon oil underpressure, a flash drum adapted to contain a body of oil therein, a valveconnected to said still and communicating with said drum whereby oilfrom said still is'discharged into said drum under a reduced pressure,said valve comprising a tubular portion provided with a seat and aflaring open-ended port-ion therebeyond, said flaring portion extendinginto the interior of said drum, and a valve-member adapted to co-operatewith said seat for the purpose of regulating'the flow of liquid throughthe valve, the portion of said flaring portion which extends into saiddrum being provided with a lateral opening adapted to receive the oilmaintained in said drum, and an elbow within said drum and adapted toreceive the oil discharged from said flaring portion and conduct itdownwardly to the bottom of the said drum.

5. In combination, a still adapted to heat hydrocarbon oil underpressure, a flash-drum adapted to contain a body of oil therein, a valveconnected to said still and communicating with said drum whereby oilfrom said still is discharged into said drum under a re duced pressure,said valve comprising a tubular portion provided with a seat and aflaring open-ended portion therebeyond, said flaring portion extendinginto the interior of said drum, a valve-member adapted to cooperate withsaid seat for the purpose of regulating the flow of liquid through thevalve, the portion of said flaring portion which extends into said drumbeing provided with a lateral opening, and a conduit communicating withsaid opening and depending downwardly from said lateral opening into thelower portion of said drum..

6. In combination, a still adapted to heat hydrocarbon oil underpressure, a flash-drum adapted to contain a body of oil therein,

a valve connected to said still and communieating with said drum wherebyoil from said still is discharged into said drum under a reducedpressure, said ,valve comprising a tubular portion provided with a seatand a flaring open-ended portion therebeyond, said flaring portionextending into the 1nterior of said drum, a valve-member adapted 'toco-operate with said seat for the purpose of regulating the flow ofliquid-through the valve, the portion of said flaring portion whichextends into said drum being provided with a lateral opening, a housingaround said tubular member enclosing said lateral opening, and a conduitdepending downwardly from said housing into the lower portion of saiddrum.

7. In combination, a still adapted to heat hydrocarbon oil underpressure, a flash-drum adapted to contain a body of oil therein, a valveconnected to said still and communicating with said drum whereby oilfrom said still is discharged into said drum under a reduced pressure,said valve comprising a tubular portion provided with a seat and aflaring open-ended portion therebeyond, said flaring portion extendinginto the interior of said drum, a Valve-member adapted 'to cooperatewith said seat for the purpose said drum.

CLARKE C. MILLER.

